Multiwheel road vehicle



l 10, 1929. R. B. FAG'EoL 1,739,450

IULTIVIHEEL ROAD VEHICLE y original Filed April 23,'1923 Patented Dec. 10, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE ROLLIE B. FAG-EOL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB. TO EIGHT WHEEL MOTOR VEHICLE COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION F CALI- FORNIA MULTIWHEEL neen vEnIcLE Urignal application led April 23, 1928, Serial No. 633,867. Divided and this application tiled October 16,

v1928. Serial No. 312,868.

This invention relates to a road vehicle,

more particularly, the invention relates to running gear and spring suspension for velijcles.1yg'l`he present application is a division of aprlication Serial No. 633,867, filed April 23, 1923, n'ow-z Patent No. 1,692,891 of November 27, 1928.

In the operation of vehicles, particularly I "of-,the multiwheel type, due to road irregupresent invention to rovide running gear for a vehicle which will yield to and absorb I shocks without substantially transferring such shocks to the body of the vehicle.

A further object of the invention* is the provision ofa spring suspensionl for a road v for longitudinal cushioning between a vehicle ment without producing-strains in the truck -4 nally spacedjaxles -11 and 12 each being pro-V vehicle which provides substantially improved riding qualities of the vehicle.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a four-wheeled. truck construction for road vehicles in which yeach wheel may-yield to road irregularities without substantially transmitting shocks and strains to the frame of the vehicle.

A still further object of themvention is the provision of yieldable 'means to provide frame and a truckl to I reduce strainsy and shocks due to acceleratio'nfand deceleration.

A still further objectnof the vinvention vis the provision in a road vehicle-of a four-wheeled truck in which the axles thereof arepermitf ted slight relative cushioned bodil-y movef frame or vehicle frame by beams that inter# connect and osition the axles, the` one relative tothe ot er.v v l A still further object.. of the invention -is the provision in a road vehicleof .a four- 'wheeled truck construction whicliiwill minimize the transfer of road shocks vfrom the road engagin wheels to thel vehicle frame.

With the a ove objects in view, as well as" f others, that will become apparent from the' following disclosure, reference will behad.

`wheeled truck and to either ,like parte,I 10 -desig'nates a front *ve lustrat '.wheels 'when utilizing the invention. as a' rear vehicle truck as above stated.A Preferably all of the'wheelsgsteering and driving, are

to the Aaccompanying drawing, lforming part of same, and in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view plane represented by line 2 2 in Figure 1,l

and the right hand portion of which being taken on a plane represented by line 2- 4in Figure 1.v Figure 3 isa view similar toFigurel def picting a modication ofthe invention.

The'r truck construction and associated spring suspension constituting my present invention are applicable to the rear truck of a six-wheeled vehicle employin one fourront or rear truck of an eight-wheeled vehicle employing two four-wheeled trucks. vThe invention is shown inv connection. with an eight-wheeled vehicle havin a four-wheeled 'front truck, the Wheels of wg vided with Y a four-wheeled rear truck, the wheels of which .are driven for propelling the vehicle and said truck may be constructed ich are djrigible for steeringthe vehlcle. Said vehicle may also be pro' and `connected to the frame in a manner such as will presently be described.

Referring tothe drawings by' reference characters, in which like characters desigiate truck constructipn 1n accordance with. my in- ,vention and `which as indicated in Fi res 1 icle and 2 comprises a pair of parallel Iongitudivided at the opposite ends thereof with road engagm wheels 13.11 These wheels, while il as steering wheels may be driving providedA with brake-drums livin order that all ofthe wheels of thevehiele may be sub .'jected to a 'braking effect,l The axlesv are preferably of tubular formation as indicated at 15 having forged yokes 16 secured to the opposite ends thereof, the yokes being formed in well 'known manner and as illustrated in Figure 2 to receive the front wheel vertical pivot pins. The spacing of the tread of the wheels on the same axle readily may be varied by varying the length of tubular axles 11 and 12.

The axles 11 and 12 of the trucky 10 are connected vtogether in spaced normally parallel relation by means of a pair of rigid holsters or beams 17, one of which is disposed at each of the opposite sides of the vehicle frame 18 as clearly indicated in Figure 2.

In order to relieve the holsters and accordingly the vehicle frame and parts carried thereby of destructive shocks and strains when the wheels encounter irregularities in the road way, provision is made for movement of the axles independently of each other and relative to the holsters 17. The construetion is such that the respective axles 11 and 12 are permitted to assume varying angular positions in a vertical'plane, with respect to each other and are also permitted a slight rotation with respect to each other,.thus mini- Arespective end of bolster 17, the seats for blocks 19 are accessible hy means of caps 17 detachably secured to holsters 17. The blocks 19 arey restrained against rotation within said seats by means of pins 23 securedv in holsters 17 and projecting into corresponding apertures in blocks 19. Extending through each axle at right angles to the pins 23 at each end thereof is a pin 24, which also extends into the block 19 preventing rotation of the axle relative to the block.

It will thus be seen'that sections of leach block 19 are confined between pins 23 and 24 which due to the ieldable nature of the block provide for a slig t yieldable universal movement of the axles relative to the holsters. The blocks 19, due to their dis osition as disclosed between thev axles and olsters permit the axles to` assume var ing angular positions in a vertical plane, y slightly deform ing the blocks, without subjecting the holsters to substantial strains.

Each holster 17 is pivotally supported cen- -trally of the ends thereof such that the truck may oscillate as the wheels encounter obstructions in the roadway. Each bolster is pivotal'ly mounted on a stub shaft or pintle 25 carried hy a bracket 26 which isvsuitably secured Ato the center of a load carrying leafv tion it is feasible to employ springs of substantial length providing the necessary flexibility.

In order to minimize the amount of to and fro motion transferred to the frame 18 due to vertical movement of one of the axles, as

when the wheels carried thereby pass over an elevation in the roadway, the axes of pintles 25 are disposed in a plane `of the axes of axles 11 Iand 12 at the points where they pass through blocks 19, as is shown in Figure 3.`

If desired, the axes of pintles 25 may be disposed in the plane of the axes of rotation of wheels 13. By the provision of rigid holsters,

the distancel between the two axles is main-.- tained substantially constant, so that'steerand flexible construction requiring no lubri-l cation and practically free from wear.

The shackles 28 are secured at the lower end thereof by" means of bolts 32 to brackets f 33 secured to frame 18 and the ends'of springs 27 are secured to the vshackles 28 above the points of connection between shackles 28 and brackets 33 to permit of the flexing action of shackles 28. The connection between each spring'27 and associated shackles 28 comprises upwardly directed end fianges 34 on the upper leaf` 35 of spring 27 and down-A wardl directed end flanges 36 on the second leaf 3 ofspring 27 which flanges abut the adjacent opposed surfaces of shackles 28 and are respectively secured thereto by bolts 38 and 39.

Due to the curvature of the bends between leaves 35 and 37 and flanges 34 and 36, the two upper leaves 35 and 37 are permitted slight sliding movement with respect to each other as the llexure of the spring varies.

By connecting the opposite ends of springs 27 to frame 18 hy liexible shackles inthe manner disclosed, the frame is permitted a limited longitudinal movement with respect to' the springs, which provides cushioning movement during acceleration and ldeceleration ofthe vehicle. This yieldable longitudinal' movement relieves the frame of strains and shocks and provides an easy riding vehicle. In order to dampen this longitudinal swinging movement, after it has been initiated, means may be provided to cushion the shackles 28 and thus cause a substantially rapid retardation of the swinging movement as well as providing arcushioning means for the longitudinal movement of the frame relative to the springs.

This is carried out by means of the modiied construction shown in Figure 3 in which brackets 33 are provided with backing walls 41 between which and the shackles 28 are disposed coiled springs 42 which are normally under slight compression. These springs 42 are alined with the upper leaves of the leaf spring assemblies 27 and serve to cushion the longitudinal swinging movement of the sprin assembliesrelative to the frame as well as ampenin such movement. From the foregoing disc osure, it will be seen that a running gear and spring suspension for vehicles is provided which is durable, comparatively simple in construction, and which functions admirably to cushion all the movements resulting from the vwheels encountering obstructions in the road-wa and y to eliminate the otherwise injurious s ocks and strains to the vehicle frame and associated arts.

The invention may be specific forms without de artin embodied in other.. from. the

s irit or essential characteristicst ereof, .and y t e present embodiment is therefore to :be considered illustrative rather than restrictive, the scope of the invention `bein indicated by the appended claims, and all c anges,` that come within the meaning and ran'ge of equivalency 'of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

What I claim as new and desire to secur by United States Letters Patent is 1. A vehicle comprising a. pairv of substantially parallel axles; ri id means having the ends thereof supporte from said axles by means includin cushioned connections; a

parallel axles; rigid means interconnectingV said axles and connected thereto by connections permitting;v universal movement of each of said axles with' relation to said means; a.

A bracket pivotally supported from the mid portion of said means; a leaf springsupported at its mid portion from. said bracket;

yielding shackles supported from each end member pivotal y supportedffrom the mid Y 10. The combination setforth 'in of said s ring and a frame supported from Y said yiel ing s ackles. A

4. The combination set'fforth in claim 3 in which said yieldin shackles have coiled springs reacting against them to control their flexible movement.

5. In a road vehicle; a pair of substantially parallel axles; rigid means having the ends thereof supported from said axles by deformable blocks for permitting cushioned movement of each of said axles in relation to said means; a bracket pivotally supported from the mid portion of said means; a leaf spring supported at its mid portion from said bracket; resilientlconnections from each end of said spring; and a frame supported from said connections. v 1

I6. In aroad vehicle, a pair of substantially parallel axles; housings carried by each of said' axles andla connected thereto by means including deformable blocks sch that limited axis of the pivot being substantially below the horizontal plane that contains the. axes of rotation of the wheels carried by said axles;

and resilient means interconnecting said.v brackets and the vehicle frame. f

' rigid means intermediate the ends thereof;

leaf s rings secured at the mid portions thereoi) tween the o posite ends of said sprin s and the vehicle game, said connections inc uding shackles permitting deflection of said springs.

which said deformable cushionin means are endse thereof; deformable cushioning means dis sed within said ,housings in engagement wit said axles; rigid means connecting said housings; brackets .pivotally connected to said rigid means intermediate the ends thereto said brackets; and connections be- 8. The combination set forth in claim 7 in` said housings;

- 9@ 7. In a 'road vehicle, a pair-of substantiallyc'L l connected with said housings an said axles iis 0f;' springs carried by saidI brackets; said springs being flexibly connected at their ends to the vehicle frame.

claim 9 in which said axles and said housings are proy said cushioning means for preventing bodily movement of said last named means relative to said axles and said housings.

11. In a road vehicle construction, a chassis frame; a truck supporting one end of said frame, said truck comprising a pair of tandem axles, rigid beams interconnecting said axles to space them with respect to each other longitudinally of the frame, brackets disposed between the'axles, said beams having trunnion mountings'on said brackets on a transverse axis disposed approximately in the horizontal plane oi' the axles, leafsprings of substantially greater length .than the distance between the axles securely supported on said brackets, and means interconnecting the ends of said springs and the frame, said means including a flexible shackle between at least one end of each spring and the frame.

12. In the vehicle construction defined in claim 11, said springs being approximately ,straight and said shackles comprising elongated flexible elements normal to the springs.

13. In a roadvehicle construction, a chassis frame; a truck supporting one end of said frame, said truck comprising a pair of tandem axles, substantially rigid beams interconnecting said axles to space them with respect to each other longitudinally of the frame, brackets disposed between said axles and having trunnion mountings to support them on said beams on a transverse axis, springs supported on said brackets and secured to the frame by shackles, whereby the springs, beam and axles are capable of movement as a unit longitudinally of the `frame, and means resisting said longitudinal movement.

` 14. In a road vehicle construction, a chassis frame; a truck supporting one end of said frame, said truck comprising a pair of tandem axles, substantially rigid beams interconnecty ing said axles to space them with respect to each other longitudinally fof the frame,V

brackets disposed between said axles and havmg trunnion mountings to support them on Said beams on a transverse axis, 'springs' supported on said brackets at their mid portions and having their ends connected to said frame, and means associated with said axles to'prevent them from rotating about their axes within said interconnecting beams while permitting them to tilt with respect to -said beams in substantially transverse vertical planes.

15. In a road vehicle construction, a chassis frame; a truck supporting one end of said frame, said truck comprising a pair of tandem axles, substantially rigid beams interconnecting said axles to space them with respect to each other longitudinally of the frame, brackets disposed between said axles and having trunnion mounts to support them on said beams on a transverse axis, springs supported onsaid brackets at their mid-portlons and devices interconnecting the ends of said beams with said axles to permit limited unihaving their ends connected to the frame, and i afi 

